


Powdered Sugar

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Original Character - Freeform, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-05-17
Updated: 2006-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-15 07:51:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 18,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14786456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...





	1. Powdered Sugar

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

**Chapter 1**

Charlie walked down one of the many halls in the West Wing, passing a group of fourth graders taking a tour. 

"Do you think we could meet the President?" one of the children asked the tour guide. 

"No, I am sorry, I don't think so, he is very busy..." the man nicely dressed replied. 

"Awww..." they whined. 

Charlie smiled and went on, maybe he could get the President to pop in on them? 

Charlie entered the Oval Office, Jed, behind the desk looked up. 

"Mr. President, the Korean Ambassador is on his way to see you," Charlie told him, placing a fairly large stack of mail on the grand wooden desk. 

"When will he arrive?" he asked, picking up the stack. 

"Around thirty minutes, sir," Charlie answered, Jed nodded, dismissing Charlie to go. 

"Oh, yeah, could you get CJ and Leo in here, I need to talk with them to clarify something," Jed called to him before Charlie completely went out the door. 

"Yes sir." Charlie left and within two minutes Leo, CJ, and Charlie were back in the Oval Office, waiting for Jed to look up. 

"You wanted to speak with us sir?" CJ asked as Jed opened the first letter and stood up, Charlie moved towards the door, wondering if he should take his leave. 

"Yeah, about the Korean Ambassador...Charlie, you should hear this too..." he paused putting down the first letter and moving on to the next. "He shall not be left alone anywhere, remember last time...and besides that, I don't trust him," he said, skimming the second letter and putting it on top of the first, evidently making a pile, trying to organize. 

Jed was referring to when the last time the Ambassador was there, he was eyeing CJ's fish with eyes that made CJ fear for her fish's life. 

"Agreed sir," CJ said, remembering when the Ambassador started asking her things about her fish and making odd comments. 

'How old is it?' 'What do you feed it?' 'I like its shape and color...' The whole time CJ could swear he was licking his lips. 

"Anyways, just wanted to make sure you knew how I feel about him..." Jed continued, coming to one of the last letters. 

"Hmm...a letter from Switzerland, wonder what they sent?" Jed muttered picking up the letter opener from the desk. 

"Perhaps a Swiss watch?" Leo suggested as Jed lifted up the letter opener closer to the letter. 

"I'm hoping for chocolate myself," he replied, slicing the envelope's edge. 

POOF! 

White powder erupted into Jed's face. Jed dropped the letter and letter opener and froze. He had his hands out slightly in front of him as if waiting to receive something. His eyes, the only thing not white from the powder, blinking in total surprise. 

The white powder was all over him. It covered all down the front of him, his neck, his face; white powder gathered on his eyebrows and eyelashes and was just everywhere. 

"What the...?" Leo got out as an agent pretty much pushed CJ, Charlie, and him aside and out of the way while several commands from the secret service echoed around them. 

"CODE WHITE! OVAL! EAGLE'S BEEN HIT!" 

The commands overlapped each other, it was a wonder anyone could make out any of it. 

"Shut down the ventilation!" 

"Clear the way to the decontamination room!" 

Two agents got to the President, one on either side and nearly flew out the door with him, while the other agents either led the way and cleared the halls or were shouting into their receivers commands and the limited information they had. 

\- - - 

The tour guide couldn't help but notice the dozen agents running down passed them. 

"What's going on?" one of the children asked. 

Josh was at his desk when he looked up to see beyond his office was chaos, when usually it was the other way around. 

"Donna! What's going on?!?" he shouted out. 

"I don't know, I heard a code...... white?" she replied, clueless. 

Crap. 

Donna went into his office, seeing Josh's face. 

"What does it mean?" 

"Biological attack..." he breathed, just as the air conditioning in his office and everywhere else shut down. 

Double crap. 

"Like... anthrax?" she asked, open mouthed, Josh nodded. 

Just then an agent shouted over all of them. 

"EVERYBODY OUT!!! OUT OF THE BUILDING NOW!!!" 


	2. Powdered Sugar 2

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Jed didn't know where he was going; all he felt were hands gripping his belt and him being nearly levitated down stairs and through halls. The powder still covering the front of him. 

They continued down. 

The bunker. 

Leo, CJ and Charlie were running down there too, the agents telling them they had to be decontaminated as well. 

They were led through a door and the agents didn't waste time as they stripped the President. 

The room was one that Jed had only seen on one occasion, until just recently he had forgotten that it even existed. The floor was concrete, and along the walls were showers. 

"Get in Mr. President," an agent told the man in the blue boxers. 

Thank you Abbey for getting me blue ones! Jed thought to himself as he stepped into the shower cubicle, the agent pushing the button for the cleaning chemicals to rain down. 

Leo and the others did so as well, getting into the other showers; and soon, Charlie guessed, so would all of the agents that were there, they had all been exposed to who knows what. 

\- - - 

Abbey was in the residence when the agents stormed in. 

"Mrs. Bartlet, we need to go." Ron stated, already guiding her out the door. 

"What's going on? Is Jed ok!?!" she questioned, fearing the worst. Was it the MS? He couldn't have gotten shot, she knew he was staying to talk to the ambassador. 

"Code White, he's in the decontamination room right now with Leo, CJ and Charlie," Ron told her as they went out. 

It was chaos. Agents were running everywhere, everyone was evacuating, as three vans pulled up, people in full white suits with independent oxygen supply charged into the West Wing and the White House. 

Some carrying red and orange boxes, while others rolled large machines that Abbey could only guess what they were. Agents were directing the people out and were doing their best in keeping order. 

"What was it? Anthrax?" Abbey asked Ron, demanding to know. 

"We don't know yet, but he opened the letter and it went all over," he told her as he gently shoved her into the limo. 

"After we have him washed we will take him to be tested and quarantined until we know he is ok. You are going to wait for him there." Ron then gave the driver the signal, and the First Lady was off. 

\- - - 

"Agent Don, right?" Josh asked a man dressed in black. 

The man nodded. 

"What's going on?" Josh asked, as they all were being herded out of the West Wing. 

"There was an incident in the Oval office, white powder in a letter..." the agent told Josh, so only he could hear. 

"Is the President going to be alright?" he asked, Donna now too listening in. 

"I don't know, he's in the decontamination room right now, then he will be going to a secure government building for testing, that's all I know and am aloud to tell you." He stated, lifting his hand to his ear, evidently hearing something on the line. 

\- - - 

Jed was putting a robe over himself as the men in the white space like suits arrived. 

"Mr. President, I need a sample of your blood..." one of them said, setting down the box and getting some equipment out. Everyone in the white suits had voices that were muffled and it reminded Jed of an old recorded voice playing back on a record player. 

Jed reluctantly extended his arm. 

"How do you feel right now sir?" another asked him, taking his pulse. 

"Honestly pissed off!" Jed replied, saying the word 'off' louder than he intended as the needle was inserted. "It just makes no sense..." whispering now, trying to not notice the needle in his arm. 

"I'm sorry sir," the poor man said, never expecting in his whole career that he would be extracting blood from the President of the United States. He quickly got the blood sample, labeled it, and then secured it in the red box. 

Leo, Charlie and CJ had the same thing done before they were all escorted back up out of the room and the bunker. 

It was eerie coming up to find no people in business clothing and shoes, only people in either all black, or all white, already gathering clues. Files lay on the floor, a few chairs had rolled themselves away from their desks, and still warm coffee mugs sat on many of the desks. 

The four of them were led to the back lawn, where Marine One was waiting. 

"Where are you taking us?" Jed asked as he climbed into the helicopter with Leo and the others. 

"Government facility to check you all out sir," an agent said before he closer the door and pounded on it to signal to the pilot to go. 

\- - - 

All of the channels on the televisions suddenly had a news report at the bottom, or had completely gone over to the news program. 

'At 1:23 p.m. today, Eastern Time, the White House had a Code White involving an unidentified white powder within an envelope. No other details are being given out, only that everyone in the White House and the West Wing are being evacuated and that the President and his wife are now being transported to a new and secure location.' 

'Unconfirmed reports are telling us that the envelope was opened in the White House and in the Oval Office.' 

'We will continue to relay any information we obtain...' 

\- - - 

"What do you think that stuff was?" Charlie asked as they stepped out of the helicopter and made their way to inside the unmarked federal building. 

"I hope it was only baby powder..." Leo replied as the door was opened to them. 

"Mr. President, gentlemen, ma'am...if you would, follow me," a man said, fully enclosed in a suit similar to the suits that were now cleaning out the White House and the Oval office and checking for traces in the West Wing. 

The man's voice was muffled and sounded like the other people that had taken their blood samples earlier. 

"Have you guys identified what that stuff was?" Jed asked, as they walked into the building and continued down a hall. 

"No, not yet sir, the results will be found soon though..." he paused before going on. 

"We are going to keep you all quarantined until we are sure you are ok. You will be under surveillance for any symptoms. Your blood work is right now being examined..." the doctor said as he led them through an odd small room, paused again heard a low hissing noise, and then continued on into another room. 

"What was that?" Jed asked. 

"A vacuum, one of the defenses that will prevent any harmful things in this room from leaving," he said. 

"You mean whatever we might have..." the President whispered. 

"Now if you all would, step in here..." The man brought them in front of a glass door, glass walls on either side so one could see beyond it and into the room. 

The glass door led to another small vacuum chamber and then into the larger room; beds along the walls, blue lights above. 

They went in, Jed taking a deep breath as another suited man led them each to a different bed, separating them by keeping an empty bed between each of them and so they sat down. 

"What's up with the blue lights?" the President asked, pointing up. 

"Ultra violet sir, they kill harmful air born particles," a suited man replied. 

"Useful." 

"Mr. President..." a voice muffled through the room, it sounded like it was coming from the ceiling. Jed looked up and then looked through the glass wall to see a man standing just beyond it. 

"The room has a sound system, so when you talk those on the other side can hear, just as you can hear them," the doctor said. 

"Ron, is that you?" Jed asked, getting up from his bed and going closer to the see through wall. 

"Yes sir, it's me..." He was dressed, as always, in his black suit. 

"Where's Abbey?" 

"I just sent for her sir, she'll be here soon." There was a flatness in his voice, and Jed could swear it was on the verge of shaking. 

"Has the..." Jed began, Ron raised his hand. 

"Everything is being taken care of sir," he spoke, just as Abbey came into sight. 

"Abbey. You alright?" he asked her. 

"I'm not the one on that side of the glass..." she told him. He smiled and saw another person come in and step beside her. 

"Has someone contacted the girls?" Jed asked, speaking of course, about his daughters. 

"The service is already taking care of that sir, they are being held in a secure location..." Ron told him as another man came into the room from behind. 

"Mr. President, we got some results from the white powder..." 

They all looked at him, he was not in one of those white space suits, but was in normal doctor attire. 

"We know it's not Anthrax, but we are still unsure exactly what it is. Sir, I am sorry, but it appears to have been biologically engineered..." The young man's voice nearly cracked at having told his President that he had been exposed to a potentially deadly bacteria. 

Jed, and everyone else took a deep breath and exhaled heavily. 

"And I was hoping it was just going to be someone's sick joke, that it would just be powdered sugar or something...it was... sweet..." Jed said, more to himself than to the others. 

"Jed...? What do you mean... 'sweet'?" Abbey asked, suspicious. 

"It tasted sweet..." he whispered, knowing she would get it out of him one way or another, and so decided not to fight the inevitable. 

"You got some in your mouth!" she breathed, the blood draining from her face, putting together that it was probably sweet because the disease needed food, such as sugar, to make the journey. 

He nodded. 

Leo, CJ, and Charlie looked at their Commander and Chief, their state of shock changing to a state of fear and hopelessness. 

"We are going to need another blood sample from you all and are going to compare it with the first...we are also going to start you four on spectrum antibiotics, if any of you are infected, at least we will be able to slow it down until an antidote is found, or we find which medications are the best for it," the doctor in the glass room told them, trying to sound hopeful. 

"I think you all should lie down and just rest..." the man within said as they finished obtaining the samples and starting the antibiotics. 

Leo was to the right of Jed, Charlie on the other, separated by an empty bed, just as they all were separated by one. 

CJ was next to Leo. 

"Ron," Jed called to him, "Do we know anything else?" 

"We are still examining the letter right now, but we have found out some things. We are nearly 100% certain that it was forged to 'look' like it came from the Swiss. The ink making up the letter and the emblem on it are not consistent to what they normally use, it is the ink used in Korea..." 

"Great...and when I thought it couldn't get any worse..." 

"There's more sir. The paper had a message on it." Ron spoke straight, despite how he felt. 

"Well, what did it say?" Abbey asked, feeling they were wasting time. 

"Here sir, I got a copy of it here..." he walked down towards the door, and next to the door there was a little mail box looking thing, a miniature vacuum box. He put it in and then the doctor on the other side took it out and handed it to Jed to read. 

Jed looked at it and then read it aloud. __

'Greetings 

'From the time you have opened this letter to the time that your end will come, there will be four more letters that will have been opened containing this powder. 

'We are not terrorists, just humble business men.' 

"Not terrorists my butt," Jed side noted, before continuing. 

_'If you had stayed out of our business we would not have gotten into yours, but it is too late now. You have left us no other choice.'_

Jed stopped, and scanned down the page, took a breath, and then continued. 

_'You cannot stop us, we have already demonstrated this. The President of the United States, unable to prevent us from making him our first example._

'Remember to inform your successor to stay out of our affairs, or we will do this again, but worse, we will have no mercy next time. 

'Your time is ticking. 

'Good day.' 


	3. Powdered Sugar 3

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 3**

They were all silent for a time, unable to speak; barely able to think. 

And then someone finally spoke. 

"I need to sign the letter for the 25th..." Jed whispered, still holding the letter lightly in his hands. 

Leo looked to Ron. Leo, nor anybody else had the paper on them, they had to lose their clothes less than an hour before. 

"I'll send for it sir..." Ron replied before the people in the glass room went straight into business. 

"We need to find those other letters, this must be our first responsibility," CJ spoke. 

"Agreed, and then finding who these people are," Jed replied. 

"I suppose we should make a list of all the groups I've pissed off in the past, or have disrupted...that should be as short as a fantasy novel," Jed said, slightly sarcastically. 

"Who ever they are, they definitely have a lot of money, and had spent a lot of time planning this," Leo told them. 

"How did the letter get passed security anyways?" Charlie asked. 

"The paper was made of materials that filtered out the light that would have normally killed it, somehow they found the way around our defenses," Ron regretfully replied. 

"We need to calmly warn the American people, where's Josh?" Leo asked. 

"Working on that right now," Ron informed him. 

Jed looked at his wife, she looked just the way he felt. 

Angry - - Pissed - - Livid - - and a little afraid... 

\- - - 

"I need to get one of them on the phone..." Josh began, trying to ignore the chaos around him. 

"I know, we need to know what's going on..." the Vice President agreed. 

"I've got Agent Ron on the phone sirs..." Donna informed them, handing the phone to the Vice. 

"Yes?" the Vice President asked into the phone. 

"Really? - - No. - - Of course, - - Four?!? - - Alright - - Bye." He handed back the phone to Donna, Josh and her both wanting to know what was said. 

"We are to announce to the nation not to open any mail...as Ron had phoned us earlier, there are four more out there." 

They looked at him blankly, praying as hard as they could that this was some kind of drill. 

But it wasn't. 

"The group that have done this are from Korea most likely. The powder has been determined not to have been anthrax, but it's something else not good. They are still trying to determine what it is though. Ron also said that he is faxing us the letter right now...and we are to fax the letter for the 25th to them..." 

Just then the fax machine came to life next to them, Josh was the first that took it. 

In one word he responded, revealing the fact that this was anything but good. 

"Crap." 

\- - - 

"Ron," Jed called to him. 

"Yes?" 

"Could you get a TV or a radio or something, I would really like to hear what the news is saying about this..." 

"Yes sir." 

About twenty minutes later they brought in a TV on a stand and rolled it into the glass room. 

"Well, I'm glad to see that the news of the fact that there are four letters floating around somewhere is being handled well," Leo commented as they came to CNN. 

"I hope we get some results, then we can get back to work and actually help..." CJ added, laying flat on the bed, looking up at the ceiling, like the others, her right arm had an IV line attached, feeding her body a spectrum of antibiotics, as to hopefully slow down any potential microscopic invaders. 

Everything was driving everyone nuts. 

Everything from the weird lighting, to the smell of complete sanitation, to the surreal feeling looming all around them, and to the trepidation of not knowing... 

\- - - 

It had been eight hours since the opening of the letter, and everyone was getting even more restless. The search for the other letters well under way. And the 25th in place. 

They had all eaten dinner and it was around 9 pm. 

"Are all of you feeling alright?" the doctor asked, taking all of their pulses again, the third time in an hour. 

"Yes, feeling about the same the last time you asked me that..." Jed mumbled, inwardly wanting Abbey to be next to him. 

"Couldn't I get in there with him?" Abbey asked, mustering as much dignity as she could. 

"Not without a mask and some other precautions, we don't know if any of them have it or not, or if its conta..." the doctor began. 

"Where can I get those???" she asked immediately. 

Moments later she was walking into the sealed room. 

She was wearing a kind of surgeon's mask, but it appeared thicker, and the straps keeping it on her face were tight, and kept the mask snug on her face, but at least she was not in a complete space suit. 

"Abbey..." 

Abbey came over to Jed and sat next to him on the bed, the TV in front of them, against the opposite wall. The news repeating the same dreary news that the President was under quarantine and under the watchful eyes of specialists, looking for any sign of infection. 

Everybody in the room looked at the TV, attempting to give the First Couple at least the appearance of privacy. 

"How you doing?" Jed asked her, taking her hand that was within a tight rubber glove. 

"Good," she replied while trying not to cave into tears. 

"We'll get through this," he whispered, giving her hand a squeeze, trying to make her feel this was going to be ok, but his body was telling him otherwise as another man came into the glass room. 

He had no mask on. 

Their hopes soared. 

"Mr. President, we have some information about the powder...and the blood results..." the doctor informed them, his face quickly revealing that his news was not what they had hoped. 

Their hopes crashed and burned. 

"We have determined it to not be contagious; once it is in the lungs it can't leave the body and can't survive in the air on its own, unless something in the air is keeping it alive, such as that white powder." 

They all continued to wait on his every word. 

Abbey removed her mask. 

"The strand was engineered from Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever... it apparently was mutated into what we've dubbed 'P36KM'." 

He stopped talking and just stared at the President. 

"And I have it." Jed stated. It wasn't a question, Abbey's hands tightened over his. 

The doctor's face could not have fallen any further as he faced the Leader of the free world. 


	4. Powdered Sugar 4

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"We found traces of it in your blood stream," the man whispered. 

"You three tested negative..." he looked to CJ, Charlie and Leo, and then, very slowly, looked back to the President. 

"What do we do now?" Jed asked. 

"Start you on doxycycline for one, and Streptomycin..." they became quiet for a time. 

"Do we know what it's going to do?" Abbey asked. 

"We cannot be certain, but it will probably begin like a cold..." the doctor answered. 

Jed then turned to Leo, CJ, and Charlie. 

"Go, find these people and those four letters, you can't do anything here..." 

"Sir, if I would, I would like to stay with you ...and try to be any help to you," Charlie began before Jed raised his hand. 

"Alright Charlie, you can stay. Leo, CJ, find these people, and stop those letters from being opened." 

"We will sir," was all that they could say as they departed. 

\- - - 

'Live in 3, 2, 1 - - ' 

'Good evening America, it is July 12th, 10pm. Earlier today an unknown substance was released in the White House...as of now we have not been told much of the details of what happened.' 

The reporter paused, trying to hide the fact that he was composing himself. 

'The substance that was released in the Oval Office, when President Bartlet opened an envelope, was a newly biologically engineered bacteria...the FBI are calling it P36KM, a strain made from Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever.' 

'It is not contagious...and an hour ago Leo Mcgarry, CJ Creeg, and Charlie Young were cleared, as were all of the agents that were near when it happened, they do not have the disease.' 

The reporter looked down at the paper before him before looking up again. 

'But, President Bartlet was not cleared...

\- - - 

It was early in the morning, around five. 

Jed was asleep on the bed, Abbey on the other. She had moved her bed against his so it was more like one king sized bed instead of two twin beds. 

Charlie sat in one of the chairs next to one of the beds further away, his head down and his eyes closed. 

The TV's volume was low. The doctors were going in and out, checking over the President. 

The news channel was still on, giving reports of where the FBI were at the time, checking over the mail, and where they were headed to next. 

Jed opened his eyes. His wife sleeping by his left side, an IV in his right arm. 

He looked towards the TV, and saw a view of a post office, FBI everywhere. 

He sat upright, grabbed the remote on the side table and turned up the volume. 

A reporter was standing in front of the post office, a smile on her face. 

'I am happy to report that Officials are announcing that they have found one of the letters. They are not giving out the details of where it was going or who it was addressed to - - ' 

"Abbey, wake up, they found one of the letters!" Jed nearly shouted, shaking her awake, and jolting Charlie from his slumber. 

"What Jed?" 

"Look! They found one, just three more," he told her happily. "I need to call Leo - -" 

"Mr. President, a call for you..." a doctor just walked in, and handed the phone to Jed. 

"Leo - yes, I'm awake - yeah, I just saw it on TV, just 3 more - I feel fine - good - glad to hear it - alright - bye." 

Jed looked up to Abbey. 

"The message was the same as mine, except for that first part..." Jed told her, as he scooted next to her, his body beginning to get sore. "But it was addressed to the Defense Secretary's home..." 

"Are you ok Jed?" Abbey asked, noticing his slow movements. 

"Just a little uncomfortable," he lied. 

"Liar, what is it?" Barely able to retain over whelming concern. 

"I'm kinda sore, but it's just this bed...and not moving around..." he said, trying to excuse it. 

Abbey eyed her husband. 

'He hates being babied, jackass...' she thought. 

"What?" replying as if he could hear what she thought. 

"Just rest," she whispered, getting him to lie down again next to her, she put her arm over his chest and rested her head on his shoulder. 

\- - - 

"Do we have anybody taking responsibility for this?" Leo asked, as he walked into the situation room. 

"Yes sir, a terrorist group from Korea. They are calling themselves 'The Brethren of the Sun'. We just got, what they call, 'a formal warning'; it's all over the Internet." A general stated, sitting down as the Vice President did so, Leo taking his seat as well. 

"We have no time to waste, we need to find the other three letters and locate these cowards," Leo instructed them. They all nodded their heads, trying not to imagine the things that would soon be facing their President in that government building, but instead got fully engaged in doing what needed to be done. 

\- - - 

Jed was propped up with pillows and watching the news, Abbey curled up beside and on him, his arm and hand wrapped around her. Charlie sitting quietly and watching TV as well. 

Privately Jed could feel the monster rising up inside of him, he could feel all of his muscles beginning to get sore, and his joints becoming tender, just like in a cold, but he didn't utter this to Abbey; 'no, she will find out soon enough,' he told himself. 

Jed was staring at the TV, continually watching the events unfolding. Just at 4 pm another letter had been discovered. 

Right now it was almost 8:30, Abbey and him just relaxing together. Jed could feel the slow breaths of his wife on his neck; she was quiet, and just wanted to be close to him, just as he wanted her to be close to him. 

'My people are doing their jobs, we will get these guys,' he inwardly vowed as the news channel reporter appeared once again. 

But there was something different, something wrong, you could read it on his face and in his eyes. 

Was there a letter that was opened? 

Oh, God no. 

The reporter sat up extremely straight, his face was blank, looked more like a manikin than a living breathing person. 

"Well! Spit it out already!" Jed found himself sitting up more, his voice rising. Abbey now sitting up as well, wanting to know what was aggravating Jed so much. 


	5. Powdered Sugar 5

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 5**

'At 6:34 pm, July 12th, President Josiah Bartlet died from P3 - -' 

"WHAT!!!" Jed shouted, standing up and bolting to the front of the screen. "WHERE THE H E L L DID YOU GET THAT??!!??" 

He got up so fast that the IV pole was still rolling to catch up when Jed turned to face the equally surprised doctors and Abbey, he was so angry he couldn't feel the pull of the line. 

Jed grabbed the phone that was on the side table and dialed the number for Leo. 

"LEO! I ' M N O T D E A D ! ! !" He boomed, Abbey could swear that the glass walls were in danger of cracking. 

"Sir?" Leo asked on the other end, afraid that he may now be deaf. Leo was walking to find CJ, going down the hall the people saw him pull the phone away from his ear as they heard the unmistakable roar of the President. 

"I'M NOT DEAD!" he shouted again before pausing to breathe, now pacing. 

"Have you seen the news?" he finally asked, no longer shouting as loud. "They're saying I'm dead. Where the hell did they get that?!? Where did they get the thought that they could just announce that without White House authorization?" 

"I don't know sir but I will definitely get on th - -" he began. 

"No, I'll take care of it, besides America needs to know that their President is still alive and kicking!" 

"Sir?" Leo suddenly was preparing himself for an undeniable 'Jed' moment. 

"Get me a live feed, or put me on the radio, anything, we need to approach this thing from a different angle. I'm tired of waiting to see what will happen! Those damn 'humble business men' are going to hear from me, I will NOT take this lying down any longer!" 

The IV pole stopped rolling, everyone was staring in disbelief at the man before them shouting into the phone, a now loose IV in his arm, and his hair now going every which way. 

"It is time that we show them that WE mean business! They're promoting their crap all over the Internet right now; they've sent at least five, -if they're not lying-, potential death letters into my country; and they're probably laughing right now with how the media and nearly everyone in America is running around like chickens with their heads chopped off. Well, I say - - E N O U G H ! ! ! - -" 

How her husband still had a voice she did not know, but she knew he wasn't finished yet. 

"Call that news channel, get Hoynes to announce I'm not dead, I don't want to come on the air when everyone thinks I'm dead and so be the cause of a dozen or so heart attacks. Pick a news crew to take care of the live feed to the others, bring that one here, we're doing this live, and we're doing it today. If those bastards think they have us down, they have another thing coming..." 

\- - - 

Leo was holding the phone away from his head the whole time, it was as if Jed was right in the hall with him, his voice carried so well that the other people in the hall and offices turned and stood up straight, expecting to see the President walking along side Leo. 

Leo immediately headed off towards CJ, Jed's voice shouting all the way; they needed to get this supposed death of the President taken care of. He quickly arranged everything with CJ, and the Vice President. 

\- - - 

The Vice President stepped up to the podium, every eye on him. 

"At 8:30 today it was announced that President Bartlet was pronounced dead. I don't know how they got such wrong and incorrect information but this could not be further from the truth. President Bartlet is alive, he has requested CJ Creeg to select a camera crew to go to where he is. There they will broadcast live. He has not informed me of what exactly he is going to say, but it will be broadcasted live from that secure location at 10:00 pm eastern time." 

He paused and looked towards the back of the crowd where Sam and Toby were standing, Leo, Josh, CJ, and them were the ones organizing everything; from trying to find the terrorists, to the two letters left, to trying to figure out who authorized such an incorrect statement from the White House to the media. 

He stepped off from behind the podium, a million questions charging after him. 

"I am not answering any questions..." he shouted as he walked out of the Press Room. 

\- - - 

CJ selected a news camera team and so they were off to the government building where the President was waiting. 

CJ sat next to the main camera man during the ride there. He was about 20, had dorky looking glasses on and a clean blue buttoned up shirt tucked into his cacky pants. 

The camera crew that she chose was a three man team, cleared by the FBI and the Secret Service, and most importantly, by her. 

"What does the President want us to do when we arrive?" he asked her. 

"Set up the camera in front of the Presidential Podium, and go live when he says so. He will say a couple of things, of what I don't know; I don't even thing his wife knows exactly, but let me tell you, it's going to be v e r y important." 

The young man nodded, still in shock that his group had gotten chosen for this task, it would probably be one of the most historic moments in his life time, and he was soon going to be the lead camera man who would capture it on camera and send it across the world live from who knows where. 

"Now you and your team have about an hour to set up the camera and the technical stuff, then at ten it goes live." CJ told him when they finally arrived and walked into the building in the middle of nowhere. 

They came into the glass room, and tried not to gape at everything they saw. Clean beds along the walls, and against the far wall to the right, was the podium, and the President standing along side his wife a few feet from it. The blue lights had been turned off, and so the normal white lights were on. 

Jed was dressed in a nice long sleeve shirt, a brown buttoned up vest over that and a blue tie. His hair was no longer disheveled, and he looked extremely focused, his eyes showed a man with dignity and honor, a man who was on a mission. 

"Got the news team I see," the President observed, looking to CJ. 

"Yes sir, they will have everything set up within an hour." 

With that the three men got to work, connecting the wires needed to the podium for the speakers, to the wires for the broadcasting live from the video camera that connected to the internet that in turn would branch off to every news channel in America, and beyond. 

"Mr. President, Leo's on the phone..." an agent told him, handing him the phone, Jed walked to a corner as to not be over heard. 

"Yes Leo?" he asked. 

"Sir, we know where the rumor came from...it came from inside the West Wing...it was the Korean Ambassador. He's in custody now. Somehow he was left in a room alone. After they allowed people back into the West Wing he arrived, and was sort of put aside for about a half an hour around 8:00...and of course that room had a phone..." 

"He was left alone?!?" clearly alarmed. 

"Yes sir, if I would of known..." 

"It's too late now Leo, but the good thing is it that this has given us new information. This means that the group is within the Korean government...Leo - -" 

"Yes sir, we are already contacting the Korean government...sir, we are getting satellite photos now of where the 'Ambassador' informed us where his group is." 

"He told you?" 

"Well, after he realized we knew he sent the rumor to the news, and so probably had a hand in the letters...he spilled his guts, sir." 

"Do you think the Korean Government is in any or all of this?" Jed asked. 

"No, I think this terrorist group just has hidden members in government positions." 

"Oh, is that all?" 

"No sir, the Korean government is also already stressing the fact that they had nothing to do with this." 

"This is bigger than we thought, there are insurgents within their government that want it to be over thrown...Now it makes sense. We must have been doing things that prevented these people from moving up the ladder..." 

He stopped to think. 

"Sir?" 

"Has he told us who anybody else is in his group?" 

"No, he told us he doesn't know anybody in the high ranks." 

"Well I suppose you already know to tell the Korean Government to be corporative and such in a way that will serve both as a promise and as a threat?" Jed asked him, his voice low. 

"Already on it sir." 

"It's almost time, time to show these bastards they have just awoken the sleeping giant," his voice firm, and righteous anger boiling underneath. 

He then hung up the phone. 

"Sir, we're set," the young man with glasses informed him. 

"Good, cuz I'm ready..." Jed answered back. 

He looked at his watch. 

9:56 p.m. 


	6. Powdered Sugar 6

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 6**

The nation and the world turned their TVs on and gathered around. 

Families grouping together on the couch, unopened letters piled near. 

Leaders of nations leaned forward, eagerly awaiting a recently rumored dead President to show his face and give a message. 

Of what, no one knew exactly. 

Everyone in the nation either was by a radio or in front of a television, and millions of other people in different countries did so as well, and waited. 

Until finally the clock read that it was time. And so, there in the middle of the screen appeared the President, standing behind the President's seal, an American flag beside him, his deep eyes of passion looking into the camera. 

\- - - 

"My Fellow Americans, as you all should know by now I have been infected with Tularemia; however, I have not come to speak about that, besides I am in capable hands." 

He paused. 

It appeared that he was gathering his thoughts, for one thing it appeared that he had no speech written, which was true, but in reality, he was making himself push aside the soreness that had suddenly risen in his chest. Abbey was the only one who thought she saw this. 

He quickly, but with dignity, pressed on. 

"I am Josiah Bartlet, President of the United States of America; the nation that DOES NOT negotiate with terrorists; terrorists who declare that they are or those who lie and say they aren't. 

"When I say 'we will not Negotiate' it does not only mean we will not discuss or make an agreement, but it also means we will not tolerate your actions towards us or our allies. 

"You can say your threats and follow them out, but remember there will be a price to pay for what you do to America and her people. We will find out who you are and where you are; I swear, not to you, but to my fellow citizens and to my country and to my God... we are coming for you. 

"This I vow. 

"That is MY formal warning to you, and to all, who feel that they can get away with attacking us. 

"Your time is coming, you may have started this war, but WE are going to finish it; Brethren of the Sun. 

"We, the Americans, and our Allies, will finish it; not by only finding you and giving you justice, but by carrying on, continuing life, living life; not taking life for granted, but living each day as if it was a gift, because it is. We will defeat you in the way we live, in the way we think and in the way we serve. 

"The way we serve together, each other, and humanity. That is how we defeat the likes of you. 

"We will, and we are. 

"I am Josiah Bartlet, I am an American." 

He became silent, and as he did the world looked in awe at the man whose eyes did not waver, whose speech was sharp and clear, and whose face was a mixture of righteous furry, and of pure passion. 

The screen then shifted back to a reporter who was in disbelief at the power that had come forth from the mouth of, not only his President, but of a fellow American. 

\- - - 

Everyone in the room was silent and still as Jed stepped aside from the podium and to his wife's side. He turned towards them, and saw their faces radiating respect and admiration. 

Just then the phone rang. Charlie answered it. 

"Yes, sir- - Mr. President, its Leo," Charlie said as he handed the phone to Jed. 

Jed took it. 

"I should of done that earl - - " Jed began to speak into the phone, but something stopped him. 

He was still facing everybody, Abbey beside him. Everyone's faces changing from what they were before, to complete shock. 

Jed felt something trickle out of his nose. Before he even touched it, he knew what it was. 

Leo was silent on the other end, trying to figure out what was happening as Jed looked at his finger. 

Blood. 

His nose was bleeding. 


	7. Powdered Sugar 7

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Jed just stared at it, as everyone stared at him. 

"Well, Hell." He stated before Abbey gripped his arm and led him to his bed and sat him down, nearly everyone else at a loss of what to do or to say. 

Charlie suddenly appeared next to Jed, Abbey on Jed's other side, and so Charlie took the phone, not able to take his eyes off of his boss. 

Abbey pulled out a handkerchief as Jed, with his other hand, pinched the bridge of his nose and looked up to the ceiling. 

"Mr. McGarry, he'll call you back, his nose is bleeding..." with that, Leo instantly hung up the phone. 

"Lay down Jed," Abbey ordered, placing a hand on his chest and pushing him down. 

Jed's quick intake of air immediately told her that that had hurt. 

Doctors quickly came around and helped him settle on the bed as Abbey began taking off his tie and unbuttoning his vest, Jed's hand still at the bridge of his nose. 

"W'll, at 'east this did't happ'n w'il I wus live..." he said, his voice funny because of holding his nose. 

"No kidding..." Charlie couldn't help but say as Abbey handed him Jed's vest and tie. 

The three man camera crew just stood there, watching their President being swarmed around by: two doctors, Charlie, Ron, and his wife. 

Somehow his nose stopped bleeding, however, that did not lift the tension from the room. 

"Jed, is anything else hurting?" Abbey asked her husband, pulling her famous, 'you better tell the truth cuz I will know', face. 

He nodded. 

"Sore, all over..." he murmured. 

"Sir, I think we should clear the room for you..." CJ began, looking over Ron's shoulder at him. 

"Why? Is it that crowded?" Jed muttered, unfocused, noticeably blinking a couple of times and seeing all of the faces over him. 

"The Camera crew..." 

"You want to send them back?" Jed asked. "No, I want them to stick around, I might need to talk to the nation again..." 

"Not like this you aren't!" Abbey cut in warningly. 

"Then by voice..." Jed replied, "you guys can hook up just sound right?" Jed asked, slowly removing his hand from his nose and trying to sit up so he could see them, only to have Abbey's hand placed on his chest again. 

"R-e-s-t" Abbey ordered. He really had no choice but to stay lying down, and so, instead, looked at his wife and attempted a glare. 

"Yes sir, we can set it up so if you go live on television it will just be your voice, the screen will either be black or will continue viewing the reporters," the lead camera man stated, trying to ignore the First Couple's small feud as Ron and the doctor moved out of the way so the camera man could see the President. 

Jed looked between Abbey and one of the doctors, and looked at this young, quite honestly, dorky, but hard working man. 

"What's your name?" Jed asked. 

The camera man looked taken back, amazed and honored to have even been noticed, but to be asked about his name too? 

"Darien Marks sir," he answered, surprised his voice worked. 

"Well Darien, you and your team better get it set up, I don't know when, or if, I'll talk again, but I want it to be ready." He then put his head back fully on the pillow, clearly tired. 

"Yes sir." 

\- - - 

"Am I to understand that we have a plan to take these Bastards down?" Leo asked the general sitting at the other end of the table. 

They were in the situation room. 

"We are still working out some kinks in it sir, but we are nearly ready..." 

"Good...you all should know, the President is now showing signs. We need to get this done." 

Their faces were blank, but in their eyes one could see the concern and the fear for their leader imbedded within. 

\- - - 

"Jed, how are you feeling?" Abbey asked. 

She had pulled up a chair and was sitting to his right, the camera crew just finishing up some yards away. 

"Abbey, stop asking me that..." he answered, exhaling slightly too heavily, causing himself to wince. 

"Even that hurts?" she asked softly, trying not to sound worried. 

He just looked at her, giving his face of, 'don't baby me, you mother hen'. 

However, he could not hold his face for long as his body shuttered and he began coughing. 

Abbey, and Charlie, who were sitting on either side of the bed, immediately helped him sit up as he continued to cough. 

And cough. 

And cough. 

"Ok - - I think I'm done now," he said, rather pathetically as they laid him back down, not uttering that he was suddenly becoming aware of a copper taste. 

Jed attempted to hold in a moan, but failed miserably. 

Darien looked up from his laptop, a look of anguish in his eyes. 

It was now about 10:45pm. 

"Abbey, why don't you go get a snack, you barely ate anything at dinner time..." Jed told her, talking somewhat soft. 

"I ate more than you," she reminded him. 

"I have an IV, you don't," he reminded her back. 

She just looked at him. 

"Charlie will look after me, won't you? - - " he coughed again but got it under control as he motioned towards Charlie beside him. 

"Yes sir." 

"You see?" Jed continued, turning back to her. 

"Fine, but only because you asked," she replied, getting up and going to find the nearest vending machine. 

When she had gone Jed looked at Charlie. 

"You better not 'mother hen' me," Jed stated before Charlie could say anything. 

"Wouldn't dream of it sir," Charlie answered. 

"Good." And with that Jed closed his eyes and focused on what Leo, and the others might be doing miles away. 

\- - - 

Abbey went out of the glass room and into the hall, trying not to focus on the problems that were looming over her. 

The Hall was nearly empty, (if you forget about the secret service that were spread throughout) and there, finally, was the vending machine against the wall, a wastebasket further down the far side of the hall. 

'Now what do I want?' she asked herself, now looking at a variety of snacks, snacks that she quickly noted were not healthy. 

'Potato chips? - no.'  
'M+M's? - no.'  
'Butterfinger? - no, gets stuck in my teeth.'  
'Snicker's? - maybe.'  
'Gummy Worms? - Jed might, but not me.'  
'Milk Duds? - hmmm.'  


She got out some change, finally coming to a decision. 

\- Milk Duds and Gummy Worms - 

She was so deep in what she was doing that she didn't notice that one of the doctors was now standing behind her. 

"Mrs. Bartlet?" 

She quickly turned around. 

"Yes?" 

"Let me get this for you..." he said, stepping around her and putting in a five dollar bill before she could put her own money in. 

"Thanks..." she replied, slightly confused. 

He obtained the Gummy Worms and the Milk Duds and handed them to her, ignoring the fact that he slightly wanted to know what was up with the gummy worms, but instead went onto the much more important issue. 

"Mrs. Bartlet, I need to talk to you..." 

By the tone of his voice she knew at once that she did not want to know or hear what he was going to say. 

"It's about Jed, huh?" she said, rather dryly. 

She suddenly could not read his face, he had definitely been a doctor for a while... 

"Mrs. Bartlet..." 

"Just say it," she ordered. 

"We can't stop it." 

Why was she not surprised? 

"I see." 

She was no longer looking at the doctor, her eyes may have been looking in the direction of him, maybe even right in the eyes, but she wasn't really seeing him. She let herself just stand there, her ears barely catching the words he was saying. 

"The medication isn't doing much of anything, if anything at all...we need to find a better treatment... Mrs. Bartlet?" he suddenly noticed she was hardly listening. 

She then made herself focus, knowing denial wouldn't help anything. 

"The medication isn't doing anything...we need to find out more abo - " 

"What should we do then?" she interrupted him. 

"I suppose find the lab where it was made, they are bound to have detailed information there..." 

\- - - 

Abbey walked back into the glass room, snacks in hand, and saw that Jed was asleep. 

Charlie looked up and saw her, by the look on her face alone Charlie knew to go to her. 

"Anything I can do for you Mrs. Bartlet?" he asked, taking note that she looked as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. 

"Call Leo, tell him we need to find that lab where those Bastards made the strain. The meds aren't doing anything..." she whispered to him. 

Abbey didn't see Charlie's face when he departed to call Leo, her eyes were on her husband, following the IV line that was giving him drugs that, she now knew, were doing squat. 


	8. Powdered Sugar 8

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Charlie stepped out of the room and went to a different and secure private room. The only people within were two secret service agents by the door. 

"Mr. McGarry?" 

"Yes? Charlie? Is that you?" Leo asked. 

"Yes sir. Mrs. Bartlet told me to tell you that the medications aren't doing anything. We need to find the place where they made this at..." Charlie said, his speech going quite fast. 

"We have a plan Charlie, tell the First Lady and the President we are putting it together right now with selected parts of the Korean government and our special forces..." 

The whole time he was trying to keep his own voice level and stable, he knew Charlie was on the brink already, having his voice shake too wasn't going to help. 

"Sir, it's getting bad...and his coughs..." Charlie's voice trailed off as Leo tried not to focus on that sudden image of Jed. 

"If the President can call me have him do that, but don't let him unless he can..." Leo stated as Charlie tried to collect himself. 

\- - - 

Jed opened his eyes and looked at his wrist. 

'Damn, where did my watch go?' he asked himself. 

He then looked over to his right and saw Abbey sleeping in the next bed. There was no longer a 'king-sized' bed anymore, but two separate twin beds. 

'The doctors must have made her get some rest...and she says I'm stubborn...' 

His thoughts dragged off as he started thinking why he was even there. He slowly remembered, keeping still and just looking at the ceiling. 

CJ had left and had gone to the West Wing; Ron was out checking all of the agents within the complex and looking over everything; and Charlie, Jed found, was sleeping awkwardly in the chair on the opposite wall. 

There was now only one camera man in the room, Darien. He was cross-legged on the floor against the wall. His head was reclined back, his hands on the laptop keyboard. He was the only one in there awake besides Jed. 

Jed felt like crap, worse than crap to be honest. He could swear that the drugs weren't doing anything, and that his head was pounding from the constant beat of his heart. 

'Don't complain about your heart beating Jed...that's a good thing...' he told himself, as his head continued to pound. 

He didn't even notice that he had moved both of his hands onto his head. 

"It is so hot..." he whispered, intending to have thought that but instead had spoken it aloud. 

Darien looked up and had heard the President. 

He set the laptop down, got up and edged towards Jed. 

It took a moment for Jed to realize someone was staring at him. When he found that someone was standing a foot from the edge of his bed he put one of his arms down, the other still on his forehead. 

"What time is it?" Jed asked Darien, not even attempting to sit up. 

"6 am sir," Darien whispered after checking his watch. 

"Take a seat..." Jed whispered, glancing at the chair on the left side of him. 

Darien did so, happily doing anything 'the man' asked of him. 

Darien could see Jed sweating, it was gathering around his neck and on his forehead. There were several lines of IV's and other wires leading from Jed. The monitors beside Darien showed Jed's heart and breathing patterns. 

He sat there helplessly and silently before the man that was his President, the man who was supposed to be untouchable, invisible, but had fallen victim to a psycho terrorist group; not saying that not all terrorist groups are, but this one was really bad. 

"Did my wife eat?" Jed asked, glancing over at her. 

"Does Milk Duds count sir?" Darien asked, trying not to smile. 

Jed was caught off guard and laughed, but had to stop as he began coughing, the monitor beeped in contempt. Darien didn't know what to do but was glad when Jed had managed to stop it, the monitor slowly going back to normal. A doctor appeared but Jed waved him off, and so seeing that Jed was no longer coughing, he obeyed. 

"She also got gummy worms, said you would like them..." he continued as Jed got his breathing under control. Jed didn't know how he hadn't disturbed Abbey, but he was glad he didn't. 

However, unknown to him and Darien, Abbey was awake, just listening, eyes closed. 

"Would you want some now?" Darien asked, picking the small bag up from the side table. 

"Just a red one..." Jed replied. 

Darien quietly opened the bag and gave Jed a small red gummy worm as Jed began to speak again. 

"So, tell me about yourself Darien...been in the news business for long?" Jed quietly asked, putting the worm in his mouth. 

'Who is this man that he would ask me this as if he was a normal guy, not the leader of the free world, not the most powerful man on the planet... and not sick?' Darien asked himself. 

"Uhh," was all Darien got out. 

Jed looked at him. 

When Darien's grandmother had told him that one could see a person's soul by looking into their eyes, she hadn't been joking. Darien looked into Jed's eyes and saw a soul of morality, a soul of strength and sheer will; but he also saw a troubled soul, a soul that had a burden Darien couldn't even begin to comprehend. 

"I, uhh, have been in for five years now," he finally said, suddenly thinking it had just sounded as if he was talking about how many years in jail he'd served. 

"Like it?" Jed asked, having finished the gummy worm, he continued looking at Darien, breathing slowly and clearly carefully. 

"Yeah, I love working with cameras, wouldn't mind going into directing though..." he whispered, keeping the same volume as the President. 

"What would you want to direct? Movi- -" he suddenly coughed, covering his mouth quite well before continuing as if nothing was the matter. "Movies, or what?" 

It took everything Abbey had not to get up and demand Jed to rest, but she also knew that this was what he enjoyed, talking with people, and so she could not deny him that. 

Darien smiled, equally doing a good job of pretending that the President hadn't just coughed fairly painfully. 

Yeah, Jed knew he would like this kid, no mother henning- 

"Well, I was thinking more along the lines of documenting, like history..." he whispered, unsure what kind of reaction he was going to get, most people think that stuff is just boring. 

Jed's face lit up. 

"History? I'm a big fan, people don't understand the value of knowing such things...and so they repeat it..." 

Jed closed his eyes, his head was really hurting him, and he felt as if he was melting. 

"Sir?" Darien asked somewhat loudly and slightly alarmed, Abbey hearing the tension in the young man's voice. 

"Shhh, don't wake Abbey...I'm ok..." he mumbled, and before Darien knew it, the President was asleep, and Abbey had gotten up. 

\- - - 

"Leo, are you sure President Bartlet is willing to commit troops to this?" Vice President Hoynes asked pointedly. 

Leo gave him a glare like no other. 

How Hoynes was still alive the generals in the room did not know. 

What a stupid thing to ask. 

" 'Do I think President Bartlet is willing to commit troops?'" Leo repeated. 

Leo had been on the edge all day, and was doing a pretty good job of not falling off, but this was it. 

"Where the -hell- were you during his speech?! Where have you been the past three days?!? 

"Are you suggesting to just let the Damn Terrorists continue sending us letters, must I remind you there are still two more out there?!? Or have you forgotten already? 

"So you don't want to commit America to a fight that must be done now rather than later? You just want to wait until the enemy is sending hundreds of letters instead of five?!? 

"Have you not realized that President Bartlet is now fighting for his life at the moment and right now we are powerless to stop the disease unless we do something? 

"Are you a fool?" 

He spoke firmly, but never really shouted, which is honestly worse than being shouted at. To have a person so mad that they can't even shout is not a good sign. 

Everyone was silent, either looking at the steaming Leo, or the shocked Hoynes. 

Leo looked up to the head general. 

"General, give me the numbers..." Leo stated, no longer looking at Hoynes. 

"We will be deploying sixty special operation soldiers into the target zone. Once there the teams are expecting to come in contact with a hundred or so enemy soldiers in and out of the complex, but we will have night vision and the element of surprise. The teams will then branch apart and invade the compound, sweeping all rooms and searching for the lab, and or, any important documents..." 

\- - - 

Darien was still sitting down, the just opened bag of gummy worms in his hands, when Abbey sat up and faced him. 

It didn't take long for Darien to realize that Abbey had been listening in the whole time. 

Abbey looked at her husband, barely withholding the alarm from her face. 

Jed looked pale, and was sweating profusely. What was his body temperature? 

Abbey quickly looked to the machines for information. His heart rhythm was still strong, his breathing was alright, although she didn't like the small fluctuations...no, she didn't like that. 

She then looked at the other monitor. It read that his body temp was 102.6. 

Darien continued to look at Abbey, quietly noting her facial expressions. 

She then sat in the chair that was next to Jed, directly across from Darien and took Jed's hand. 

It was damp, cold and clammy. It honestly didn't feel alive at all and it scared her. 

Jed must have felt Abbey's unease because he opened his eyes. 

"Hey, like your unhealthy snack?" he murmured, his eyes half open, looking at her. 

"You have a fever," she stated, brushing his wet hair on his forehead aside. 

"I've noticed," he replied. 

They were quiet for a time, Jed and Abbey just looking at each other, both not wanting to tell the other what they knew. Darien was just still, not wanting to interrupt their quiet moment. 

"The drugs aren't doing anything are they?" Jed finally whispered, his voice hoarse. 

Abbey looked down, and barely shook her head... 

...no... 


	9. Powdered Sugar 9

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 9** \- (NOTE: [Brackets] means they are speaking in Korean.) 

It was nearly pitch black and silent. 

The land surrounding the compound was peaceful and still. The grass was long, and the dirt road to the east was undisturbed. 

The only light was from the four dim spot lights on the four corners of the compound, and the light that was from the moon and stars. 

The guard that walked along the north perimeter continued to puff nonchalantly on his cigar as he swung his AK-47 over his shoulder to get more comfortable. 

The wind was gentle and the star filled sky was clear, it was going to be a quiet night...or so the guard thought. 

Green and bright. 

Every form, every object, bright and clear and sticking out like a sore thumb. 

The small army panned out, finding the guards, some on the roof, others patrolling the grounds. The sixty or so soldiers memorized the guards' movements and memorized their surroundings, until the order was given. 

"Mission is a go, repeat, mission is a go." 

"Copy that Golf. 

"Alpha, take point... 

"Charlie, niner... 

"Echo, back support... 

"Move." 

The six teams moved with deadly skill and accuracy. The grass seemed to part at their coming and leave no trace of them as they continued onward. 

"Two o'clock." 

"See him..." 

The silenced weapons took care of the guards, letting a group of camouflaged soldiers slip into the southern entrance of the compound. 

"Alpha in nest...repeat, Alpha in nest." 

"Copy that." 

All of the invading soldiers were in all black, all of them equipped with a silenced M4A1, (an improved version of the M16) night vision goggles, and a bullet proof vest. Some were further equipped with Frag grenades, Flash grenades, C4, and some other useful items. 

"Foxtrot killing lights." 

"Copy that." 

The compound's inner lights shut down, just having been cut by the team, Foxtrot. 

Up, above another group, on the roof, four men stood watching, searching for any movements. 

["Did you see that?"] one of the Korean guards asked the other. 

["See what? it's just the wind..."] 

["No, it was something else..."] 

The other man looked over the side, and found that it was, in fact, something. 

["WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"] 

["It's the Americans!"] 

The compound's alarms went off; the small army had been detected. 

"Bravo's been detected...all teams, Incoming..." 

"Four-High..." the Bravo leader ordered. 

"Four-Out." 

"Delta, Frag." 

"Deployed." 

\- - - BANG - - - 

Three more teams stormed in the complex, clearing the area, going room to room. 

"Bravo, cover." 

"Hall covered." 

"Room check." 

"Room clear." 

"Door locked." 

CRASH 

One of the soldiers kicked down the door, revealing stairs going down and so they plunged downward. 

["Don't shoot! Don't shoot!"] 

"GET ON THE FLOOR! [GET ON THE FLOOR!] GET ON THE FLOOR!" 

The dozen or so Koreans did as they were told, all in lab coats, having been working; on what, the soldiers didn't even want to know. 

"ZULU found and secure, Alpha." 

"Copy that. 

"Delta status?" 

"Roof secure, Delta." 

"Second Floor Status?" 

"Second secure, Charlie." 

"Copy that. 

"Ground status?" 

"Ground secure, Echo." 

"Copy that." 

The Alpha team stood, aiming their M4s at the Koreans who had wisely surrendered. They looked around the room. It was like a mad scientist project; glass beakers, tubes, flasks; plastic bottles; microscopes; computers; odd machines, and it just seemed to keep on going. 

Papers, files and reports littered the counters, and now the floor because of the assault. The Alpha team could not help but notice a chart on the wall showing the effectiveness of whatever they were working on... and a list of countries. All of which seemed to have friendly ties with America. 

"Golf, nest secure." 

"Copy that." 


	10. Powdered Sugar 10

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 10**

Jed had finally stopped coughing again, and was now propped up with pillows letting him breath easier. 

"Ron, any news from Leo?" Jed asked. 

Darien and Charlie were now out getting food; Ron and Abbey were the only ones in the room besides the two doctors that went in and out and the two secret service agents who somehow blended into the background. 

"Jed, Leo has everything taken care of..." Abbey began. 

"Abbey, I know I am sick, but I am still the President, I need to know wha - (cough) - what's going on..." 

"Mrs. Bartlet, he's right..." Ron muttered. 

She slowly nodded her head. 

"We have gotten news. Good and Bad." 

"Give me the bad first..." 

"The bad news is that we have learned that they might have sent letters to our allies, or the nations that we have good relations with..." 

"What's the good news?" 

"We found the lab." 

"Good, we can find a cure than right?" Abbey asked, joy and hope surfacing. 

"They're working on that right now, the top scientists in the world, and we are interrogating the Korean scientists right now..." 

"Put me in a room with them and I'll take care of it..." Abbey muttered. Jed couldn't help but smile, but he didn't dare laugh; for fear of coughing. 

"Have we warned our allies?" Jed asked. 

"Yes, did the moment the special op team that secured the lab informed mission control." 

"Goo-d-" 

Jed started coughing again, very hard. Abbey was on one side, Ron on the other, trying to keep him steady as he kept on coughing. The doctors immediately appeared, but couldn't really do anything, even the agents standing guard noticeably wanted to help, but, they too, couldn't do anything. 

Abbey wanted to cry as she supported Jed, feeling him shake, and watching him attempt to catch his breath as another onslaught of coughs seized him. 

Jed could no longer hide the blood that now escaped his mouth. His chest felt like it was on fire, while at the same time it felt as if he was drowning. 

Jed's skin was pale, and Abbey tried to ignore the fact that his lips had a light tint of blue. 

Finally the coughing stopped. Jed relaxed and gave into exhaustion, collapsing into Abbey's embrace, his head resting on her shoulder as she began rubbing his back. 

Darien and Charlie had witnessed the coughing scene through the glass from the other side, neither of them moved. 

"I love you Abbey..." he breathed. 

"I love you too..." she whispered back. 

She felt his body go limp as the monitors' readings suddenly dropped off. 

"Jed!" she said forcefully, giving him a shake. 

He didn't respond. 

"JED!" she shook him hard, the doctors moving in. 

"He's unconscious," one of the doctors told her, stepping beside her, though not about to remove Jed from her grasp. 

Charlie and Darien, and everyone else, were silent as Abbey slowly rocked Jed, her face imbedded with fear as she could no longer hold back the tears. 

\- - - 

"Leo, the FBI are on the phone," Margaret called. 

"Got it - Hello?" Leo answered the phone. 

"We have found another letter sir," was the simple reply he got. 

"Where? That's great! I'll tell the President as soon as I can...Where was it?" 

"It was delivered here, sent to the FBI. One of the secretaries called it in, it had gotten lost in the shuffle that day." 

'That day', being the opening of the letter in the Oval Office. 

"Britain has also informed us that they have found two letters, they have identified the substance within to be P36KM. They have isolated it and have told us they have it under control." 

"Have any others been discovered in any other nations?" Leo asked, afraid of the answer. 

"The information so far that we have gotten from the Korean Terrorists is that they only had time to make and send off enough powder for a few letters before we had caught them." 

"Did they tell you how many?" Leo asked. 

"No, but they did say that it was only enough to send one batch of letters to one nation: Britain; how many they sent there, we don't know, honestly I don't even think they know, they only made the stuff, they didn't send it off... the people who probably did are hidden within the Korean government itself." 

Leo cringed at the fact there was yet another problem brewing underneath everything that was already on their plate. The problem of how to root out the invaders from the already slightly corrupt government. 

"Do you people have any idea where the fifth one is?" Leo asked. 

"We are still searching, but if it's out there, we will find it." 

"I am sure we will," Leo stated as the FBI agent said his good bye and hung up. 

'So one more letter for sure left in our turf, but God only knows how many are in our allies,' Leo thought as he prayed for solutions. 

\- - - 

Jed found himself being held and calmly rocked. 

By whom, at first he didn't know. 

The rocking was soothing, and the feeling of two arms being wrapped around him was gracious, it almost made him forget the throbbing soreness everywhere. 

Almost. 

'Where am I?' Jed asked himself.  
'Do I hear crying?  
'I don't feel good.   
'Cold...'  


Jed opened his eyes, becoming slightly aware of his body shivering and a blanket being held around him. 

This head was resting on a shoulder. In his line of sight was the floor and the side of the bed. His rocker was sitting beside him; how he and his rocker fit on the bed he did not know, nor cared. 

He knew several pairs of eyes were on him, but he didn't mind. He was fine being rocked and held, everything else no longer mattered, just his rocker. 

"Abbey." 

At first he wasn't even sure if he had said it, he just knew he had tried, but his voice seemed not to be working properly. 

"Abbey..." he gave a slight cough but continued to just be held. 

"Yes Jed?" she gave a small sniffle. 

"Cold..." 

He didn't know why he said that, it was just the first thing that came out. 

"I know," she whispered, somehow preventing herself from fully breaking into tears. 

She had been rocking him for about fifteen minutes before he had come to. His limp body shivering and his breathing labored and short. 

But breathing. 

They were running out of time, and they all knew it. 


	11. Powdered Sugar 11

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"Dr. Sedlot, I think I may have found something..." One of the young doctors called, looking up from the microscope. 

"Let's see it then..." he said, hoping that this time they actually had something, in the past hours they had been getting pretty much nowhere from looking over the Korean notes. 

The Koreans had seriously manipulated with this bacteria. Mutated it to the point that it was seriously strong; amplified its capabilities of doing harmful and potentially deadly things, especially in the lungs; and had all but created a completely new strain. 

To compare, it would be as if they had taken a man eating tiger to start out with, equipped it with bullet proof skin; switched its bone, including teeth and claws, for titanium; and give it steroids for super strength. 

"How long has this been in culture?" he asked the young Russian scientist after looking through the microscope. 

"Three hours sir..." the young man could not help but grin. 

Once Dr. Sedlot got that information it nearly brought tears to his eyes, happy tears. They had found something that was not only preventing the bacteria's growth, it appeared to be killing it. 

"I was looking over one of the Korean files, as you know, they had manipulated the membrane within P36KM: 17-kilodalton lipoprotein, TUL4, another reason why the treatment that usually works wasn't...well, they mutated TUL4 to the point that it prevented the medications and antibiotics from getting through the membrane and attacking the proteins within. So I thought, why not 'clog' the membrane all the way, so nothing at all can get through it...starve it." 

Dr. Sedlot wanted to hug the dorky Russian prodigy, but he was a professional and so decided to be professional about it. 

However, he failed miserably when he grabbed the nearest phone and began dialing like a mad man. 

"We think we have it! Send for a transport immediately!" 

\- - - 

Jed was now in a cold sweat. No matter what he, or anyone else, did, he could not stop himself from shivering. 

He now had oxygen being directly supplied to him, via nasal oxygen cannula. 

For many of the quiet moments he openly studied Abbey's face, the feeling of her soft warm hand in his, and her other hand gently brushing the wet hair from his forehead. 

But privately he was feeling himself drifting, and, though he did not wish to die, he had made peace with himself... 

He no longer could hear the machines right by him, or what the doctors were saying as they walked passed. He could no longer feel the throbbing and stabbing sensations when he coughed and he really didn't know if he was cold or hot. 

This he did not know if it was because they had given him something for the pain, or if it was because he was going. 

Perhaps it was both. 

He knew Abbey was watching him; watching his eyes glide over her, watching him savor every touch from her, and watching the beeping sounds of the machine that read his heart beat. 

From the corner of his eye he saw Ron standing, talking on the phone. 

In the chair, across from Abbey, was Charlie, and in the chair beyond Charlie, was Darien; the two other camera men were gone, Ron having sent them off, knowing that if need be Darien could handle all of the equipment for a live address to the nation, but that probably wouldn't be happening anyways. 

Jed thought about all the things he had accomplished...and all of the things he hadn't.  
He thought about the good times...and the bad. 

  
He prayed for the nation and for the world he would be leaving behind.  
And he prayed to God to watch over his wife, and his children...  


He knew his daughters were safe, though where they were he did not know. 

It had been nearly four days since the opening of that damn letter. Oh, how quickly things can change. 

Jed was having a difficult time keeping his eyes open, and he couldn't stop Abbey from seeing it. 

He did not want to go to sleep, he was afraid he wouldn't wake up...  
He felt that if he went to sleep this would be 'the' sleep.  
And then he wouldn't be able to walk his youngest daughter down the aisle on her wedding day.  
He would miss out on the grandchildren growing up.   
He would leave his best friend, Leo.   


And he would be gone from Abbey. 

He fought the battle against unconsciousness for a little while, but then he lost.  
His eyes closed, and his body drifted.  
And as he did the monitors showed his vitals edging closer to nothing...  


Abbey watched his eyes close, and saw the readings; she didn't need to use her doctor knowledge to tell her what they meant. 

She held his hand in hers, his hand that had taken hers so many times.   
The hand that had placed her wedding ring on her finger.   
And the hand that had helped hold up each of their children to show them off to her after delivery.  


"Mrs. Bartlet?" one of the doctors whispered to her, nearly making her jump. 

"We have found something," he said, a white box beside him, his hand holding the metal handle. 

"A cure?" she whispered. 

She really didn't have much energy; she had little to no sleep and had spent most of the other time helping Jed sit up as he coughed. 

"Perhaps, but we honestly don't know, we need your permissio..." 

"Do it." 

"Yes ma'am." 

Young though the doctor may have been, he knew to do what Abbey said. She wasn't stupid, she knew the risks, she was a doctor, and besides, they all knew that time was of the essence. 

He opened the box, and there, within, were three bags; of what, Abbey only knew they were the only chance of possibly saving Jed. 

The young man went around the bed and hooked the IV bag up, the clear substance going down the tube and into Jed's arm. 

And now only time would tell... 


	12. Powdered Sugar 12

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 12**

Abbey continued to sit beside Jed. 

There was still no improvement, but then, they had only given the 'cure' thirty minutes prior. 

Abbey couldn't stop herself from continually glancing up at his vitals, and seeing them not as good as she wished; and praying, seeing that they weren't getting better, that they would at least not get worse. 

Charlie sat on the other side of Jed, sitting there as a presence, willing to get Abbey food or anything that she asked for. Darien was sitting in the chair against the wall, not sure really of what he should be doing. 

\- - - 

"Mr. McGarry, we got news that they have found a possible cure..." 

Leo got up from behind his desk so fast that his knee hit the corner. He didn't care though and didn't even rub the dull pain; instead he gave his full attention to the messenger. 

"How long will it take to know?" Leo asked. 

"We don't know, we honestly don't know if it will even work..." 

Just then the phone rang, Leo dismissed the messenger as he picked it up. 

"Yes?" 

"The last letter has been found. It was in one of the mail trucks we stopped that day, and one of the last. If we hadn't stopped it, the letter would have been delivered to its destination an hour ago... Mr. McGarry, the search is over." 

Leo just stood there. 

Finally the search was over...at least in America... But then his thoughts wandered to that message the terrorists had sent to Jed: 

_'From the time you have opened this letter, to the time that your end will come, there will be four more letters that will have been opened containing this powder. . .'_

"Hello? Mr. McGarry?" 

"Uh, yes. Thank you..." 

He hung up the phone, trying not to think. 

\- - - 

'What the heck is going on?' Jed asked himself. 

He heard odd beeping noises and something that he couldn't quite place. 

'What is that? A respirator? God, they had to put me on a respirator?' 

He strained his ears, trying to determine if it were true.  
He didn't feel like he had a respirator...but then maybe he was drugged to the point that he wouldn't know if he had an elephant on his chest or not. 

'No, if that's a respirator than I'm in trouble, it sounds like it's dying.  
'Now what is it? Snoring???' 

Jed slowly opened his eyes. The lights were dimmed and so Jed knew it had to be night, or very early in the morning. 

His chest was still extremely sore, and he was still very tired, and yet, he felt refreshed. 

He glanced over to his right to find Abbey. 

She was sleeping. She was reclined back in the chair, having attempted to stay sitting up, but not quite making it as her body had demanded sleep. 

But she wasn't the one snoring... 

He looked straight ahead. 

Darien was silently sleeping in the chair, his chin down. 

'Alright...' Jed questioned, still slightly lost to where the snoring was coming from. 

The snoring wasn't loud, or exactly 'piggish' but was definitely apparent. It was more like a somewhat muffled whistle, barely reaching the high pitch at the end. 

Jed turned his head to find Charlie... sleeping like a baby, well, almost. 

He was sleeping crookedly in his chair, slightly slumped down, and his head back, just about on the back rest... Snoring. 

Jed smiled, and couldn't completely compress a giggle. 

Abbey woke up immediately. 

She saw Jed, head up and facing Charlie, and at first she didn't know why, but only at first. 

Jed turned back, a smile on his face. 

"Jed..." she whispered, deep relief etched all over her face and joy in her eyes, she would have jumped him and begun kissing him right then and there, but she restrained herself, remembering his chest was probably still sore. 

"Shh, I want to wake him..." Jed mouthed back, taking her hand and kissing it. 

"Charlie..." Jed spoke, surprised his voice sounded so good. He reached out his hand and placed it on Charlie's knee, and repeated his name, this time with a little more force, "Charlie." 

Charlie woke with a start, nearly kicking Jed's hand off. 

"Wha-?" he asked, dazed. 

His eyes quickly adapted to the lack of light, and found Jed's eyes looking into his own. 

"Sir?" 

"Charlie, I didn't know you snore..." Jed replied, happy to find he could sit up a little more straighter on his own. 

"I do?" Charlie asked, suddenly realizing he was sliding off the chair. 

Jed nodded, catching Darien sitting up with wide eyes and looking at him. 

"Darien, you are still ready for live, correct?" Jed asked. 

Darien nodded. 

"Jed, you are still recovering..." Abbey began, trying to sound stern but didn't at all make it. 

"I didn't mean right now..." Jed replied, turning to her fully as he spoke. "Charlie, get me a phone...I'm calling Leo..." 

Just then Ron came into the room. 

Jed never thought that he would ever see Ron surprised, but he did as Ron looked up. Because the lights had been dimmed and the sound system was turned off, no one could see or hear what was going on beyond the glass, and until Ron had walked through the door and looked up, he had not seen that Jed was awake. 

Ron's face was full of emotion, overflowing with thankfulness. Ron just stood there for a moment, in happy shock; however, he quickly over came that when he realized Jed was staring at him, a smile on his face. 

"Sir, it is a great relief to see you awake..." 

"I've noticed," Jed replied simply as Charlie retrieved the phone, dialed for Leo and handed the phone to Jed, the phone now ringing on the other side. 

\- - - 

Leo was in a room with CJ, Josh, Margaret, Donna, Sam and Toby. What they were discussing quickly was forgotten when Leo's phone suddenly began ringing. 

Leo looked at the caller id. It was the place where the President was. 

'O God, please don't be...' Leo thought. 

By the look on Leo's face everyone knew where the call was from, and so they all fell silent. 

Leo answered it. 

"Hello?" Leo asked, bracing for the bad news he prayed he wouldn't get. 

And then a familiar voice came over the phone. Tired and exhausted, yes, but strong despite it. 

"Leo, did your voice just crack?" Jed asked. 

"Jed!? You're awake?!" Leo looked up to see everyone's surprised and elated faces; Leo had just called the President by his first name, but the knowledge that the President was alright quickly dismissed it. 

"If I weren't would I be talking on the phone?" Jed replied calmly. 

Leo laughed, more to stop himself from crying with joy than at Jed's sarcasm. 

"No, no I guess you wouldn't..." he answered, still trying not to cry and trying to keep his voice level. 

Leo glanced over at CJ, there were tears in her eyes; and then at Donna and Margaret, who were both openly crying. Josh was on the verge of jumping up and down with joy; Sam was in a happy state of shock and Toby was smiling broadly, just keeping himself from joining Josh's verge of jumping. 

"I am going to go live in a little while, I want to eat some 'real' food and want to freshen up." 

"If you think you're up to it," Leo replied, knowing Jed was going to do it anyways, he could hear the sureness in Jed's voice. 

Everything was soon going to be alright, the terrorist group was now going to be the main focus, and they were going to pay. . . 


	13. Powdered Sugar 13

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Jed was sitting up on his own when the lights came on fully, the doctors already checking on him, oxygen still being given to him through a nasal oxygen cannula. 

"Breathe in Mr. President..." one of the doctors instructed him, a stethoscope on his back, listening to his lungs. 

He breathed in, sitting on the edge of the bed, feet on the floor, he then breathed out. 

"Abbey - (paused to breathe in and out again) - I want some real food, like steak and mashed potatoes, and - stop looking at me like that..." The doctor stepped aside, giving the First Couple some space. 

Jed's mouth had been watering at the thought of a nice steak dinner, and Abbey could see it in his eyes. 

"Don't make me eat a salad," he was attempting not to whine, but he was, "I want meat, steak and A1 sauce..." 

"Charlie, could you arrange that?" Abbey asked, giving in, knowing he needed some meat anyways. She then smiled at seeing Jed's excited face. 

Jed was still noticeably tired, but not as much as he was hungry. But he kept his left arm close to his side, and Abbey of course noticed. 

"You're still sore aren't you?" Abbey asked as Charlie went to get the President's dinner. 

"What gave you that idea?" he asked, trying not to look guilty. 

She glanced at his arm resting protectively against his side. 

"Oh." 

He looked down, as if he himself just noticed. 

One of the doctors couldn't help but over hear them, and so he spoke up. 

"Mrs. Bartlet, he is expected to be sore for a while, those coughs were anything but gentle..." he said. 

Abbey could hear that something in his voice that sent off a doctor alarm in her head. 

"Spill it, what should we know?" she suddenly said flatly, eyeing the doctor, as if telling him, 'you better tell the truth or so help y o u...' . 

The doctor nearly stepped back in surprise as well as fear, but amazingly stayed where he was. 

"His lungs have, of course, suffered some damage, which will heal..." 

"But not all of it will..." she finished for him. 

"No, but he will be able to do everything normally..." 

"I want percents, percents," she told him. 

"His right lung, we are confident, will heal all the way with proper therapy, but his left will probably never work at 100% again, but will probably get to about 70%." 

"Well, at least they still work..." Jed cut in, suddenly feeling he was being alienated. "I don't think I've ever gotten them both working at one hundred percent anyways." 

Abbey eyed him, but her face melted as she realized he was right, at least they were working. 

"Alright, where is that steak?" Jed piped up, looking over Abbey's head towards the door, hoping for the plate of juicy steak. 

\- - - 

"As I said before, the President will make a live broadcast from where he is now at 2:00 pm eastern time. We will all just have to wait until then." 

CJ then walked out, leaving the thousands of questions. 

"When will the President be returning to the White House?"  
"How did the cure come about?"  
"When did he show signs of being sick?"  
"When did he wake up?"  


'Oh, I could swear that I had answered more than half of those questions in the statement...' CJ thought as she became glad she could no longer hear them. 

\- - - 

Jed was still in bed, but quite happy. 

It was around 9:30 am, not exactly the time for dinner, but that didn't stop Jed. 

Before him was a dinner tray, a large plate of steak, mashed potatoes, steaming vegetables (Abbey having demanded that...), a bottle of A1 sauce, and a drink. 

Darien was sitting in the chair quietly; typing on his laptop, ready to broadcast the President, live, at any time. 

Abbey had left to get something to eat and to stretch her legs, and so Darien was alone in the room with Jed, except for the secret service and a few doctors. 

Jed took a swig of his drink, the nice cool liquid going down his throat. His throat was still, quite honestly, raw, but the cold drink felt very nice. He put the glass down as he looked down at his plate. 

His steak was gone, his potatoes were almost finished, and his glass was nearly empty...but his vegetables however, were not. 

"Have you eaten anything Darien?" Jed asked. Darien looked up, expecting to see someone else named Darien to which Jed was talking to, but there wasn't. 

"Um, no sir," he stated. 

Jed looked at his untouched vegetables. Darien knew what Jed was thinking, and he didn't even know Jed that well at all, but he knew that face that said, 'Man I would give anything not to eat this stuff...' 

"Sir, are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" Darien asked, glancing at the vegetables and then back at Jed, trying not to raise an eyebrow but doing so anyways. 

"Ah, you're right, wouldn't work anyways..." he muttered, his shoulders sagging down. 

"What wouldn't work?" Abbey asked, just coming in. 

"Oh, nothing..." Jed replied, hurriedly stabbing a cauliflower and bringing up to his mouth. 

Abbey glanced at Darien and then at Jed, then at the vegetables and then back to Jed. 

"Jed..." she said warningly, instantly knowing what Jed had just tried to do. 

"W-at?" Jed asked sheepishly, mouth now full of broccoli. 

'At least they have salt and butter...' Jed thought as he continued chewing. 

She just shook her head. 

"The President of the United States, acting like a child at the sight of vegetables..." Abbey muttered, taking the seat next to his bed. 

Jed continued to chew. 

When he finished, (including his vegetables while under the watchful eye of Abbey) the tray was taken away. 

Jed was still hurting. His chest was tender, and he had to watch how hard he breathed. Abbey watched him make himself breathe calmly as he pushed the pain away, a few times she clearly saw him cringe when he moved too fast, or stretched his arm out too far and so had put pressure on his chest. 

"Why don't you take a nap Jed?" Abbey suggested, Jed reclining back on the bed while at the same time trying not to look tired. 

"I suppose that would be a good idea..." he muttered, knowing she was right. 

He laid down as Abbey pulled the covers over him. 

\- - - 

"Leo, Britain has just informed us that they have finished their search, and have found what they believe to be the last letter. They have searched everything and have announced that the search is over," a man told Leo from over the phone. 

"That's good, anything else?" Leo asked. 

"They have offered to help in the search of the rest of the terrorists that are members of the Brethren of the Sun. They have told us that they have some leads that might help..." 

"Very good..." 

Leo finished talking with him, getting valuable information about where exactly the letters came from, apparently the terrorists were not as careful the second time they sent the letters. 

They had left an accidental trail that, Leo was sure, would cause their doom. 

\- - - 

Jed woke up around 12 and was permitted to get himself washed and dressed in clean clothes. He was still hooked up to the IV's, giving him medication to help out his lungs, but the oxygen was no longer being supplied, the doctors feeling a little time off of it for the live broadcast would not do any harm. 

He was clothed in a suit and a blue tie. His hair was fairly neat, though a hint of bed head was evident when he came to a stop behind the Presidential podium. 

His face showed a man who was tired and just getting over something, but in his eyes was a man of resolve and perseverance, and nerves of steal. He had clearly been through an ordeal, but it was also obvious that he was ready to get back into the game, both fists up, and mouth piece in. 

1:50 pm. 

Nearly everywhere in the world TVs were being turned on and switched to a news channel, the live feed about to be connected. 

"Mr. President, Leo just called, Britain has finished their search and are giving us the information they found on the terrorists, we are closing in on them sir. We have gotten several names and the Korean Government are working with us to capture the insurgents as we speak." 

Jed gave the messenger a nod as the clock now read: 1:59. 


	14. Powdered Sugar 14

 

**Powdered Sugar**

**by:** Blueowl617 

**Character(s):** Abbey Bartlet, Charlie Young, CJ Cregg, Jed Bartlet, Leo McGarry, and most of the others are there.   
**Pairing(s):** Jed/Abbey  
**Category(s):** Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, New Character, Suspense  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Disclaimer:** The only character depicted in this story that belongs to me is Darien Marks, but the rest, of course, belong to NBC, WB, and Aaron Sorkin.   
**Summary:** Jed opens a letter to have white powder explode in his face...   
**Written:** 2006-02-28  
**Feedback:** Will be joyously read.  
**Author's Note:** I am not a doctor, I have tried to make the scientific stuff sound plausible, but my knowledge only goes so far in the subject, so hopefully you all can just go with me here. I also do not claim to be an expert on the layout of the White House, apologies for any confusion. 

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Jed gave the signal to Darien who then returned a nod as he pushed the button connecting the feed and making it live. 

Jed stood and faced the camera for a couple of seconds, as if waiting for everyone watching him to calm down and pay attention, and then he began. 

"Five days ago this great nation was attacked, but this attack was different. It was not carried out by guns or planes, hostages or bombs; it was done, instead, by this..." Jed lifted an envelope off of the podium and lifted it up beside and slightly in front of his face, so that it covered half of his right cheek and just below his eye. 

"This...this was used to bring the terror...but, just as I had promised, this has not hindered us, or stopped us from doing what has been needed to be done. I am better, as you can see, and am proud to report that this nation, as well as others, have not allowed these cowards to frighten us into doing their will, but have driven us together. 

"We are rounding up these cowards, as I speak, and they will be brought to justice. They will be punished for their crimes, just as I promised, and we will continue to live, doing our jobs, completing our tasks, thankful for each day we have, just as I had said. 

"I thank you, fellow Americans for enduring, for persevering and not letting these terrorists interfere with how we all live. They did not force Americans into fear; they did not push us into rash actions, but instead reminded us the qualities of freedom and of courage." 

The President paused as he saw Ron walk into the glass room. Ron gave a nod meaning they had found and captured the insurgents. 

Jed smiled as he spoke again. 

"I have just gotten word that we have captured the terrorists..." 

Jed finished the speech with more words of unmistakable wit, going into justice and how they will never allow terrorists to get away with their actions against America and her allies, just as they had not allowed it just recently. 

The fight with these terrorists was now over, but of course, Jed knew, there would be others. 

But he also knew he and the nation would be more prepared, for whatever would face them. 

\- - - 

"Jed, the doctors just told me you are able to go home now..." Abbey told him as she helped him put the oxygen back on (nasal oxygen cannula). 

He had just finished the speech; Darien, Ron, Charlie, and a few doctors and secret service were all that were in the room with the First Couple. 

"Thank God..." he replied getting up from the corner of the bed. 

"It doesn't mean that you shouldn't take it easy though," Abbey said warningly. 

"Abbey, do you not trust me?" Jed asked, pretending to be hurt. 

"Not when it comes to your own health," she stated back. 

He just looked at her before he gave her a strong kiss. 

"You know me too well..." he muttered. 

"Someone has to watch over you..." 

"I'm glad it's you..." 

The First Couple went back to the White House, the media waiting for any details at all about what had occurred inside that unknown government building during those past five days. 

The White House did not give full details on the ordeal that the President and the First Lady had endured together, not enlightening the media on exactly what a biologically engineered weapon could do. They did however tell the public that the President had suffered lung damage, but they did not give the extent of the damage, just said it would be healing over time. 

Jed was glad that they, at least for now, withheld detailed information, for he felt that the world would have plenty of time to know about everything later, when it was history-history, not their recent past. 

For that was where it belonged... in the past. 

**THE END**


End file.
